1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a message switching apparatus such as a public telephone network, an electronic mail switching system, a computer telephony system or a facsimile accumulation switching system in which various message processing procedures such as the delivery of a message, the forwarding of a message, the deletion of a message and the conversion of a data format of a message are set.
2. Description of the Related Art
An internet has been explosively used in companies, homes and schools, and the transmission of electronic mails has been rapidly performed. Also, communication terminals such as a pager (called a pocket bell in Japan), a portable telephone and a personal digital assistant and information terminals such as a personal computer have been developed with the electronic mail. In addition, because the communication terminals and the information terminals have been developed with a message system such as an electronic mail, a message switching system unifying various message systems, the communication terminals and the information terminals has been paid attention. In the message switching system, an electronic mail of a text format is converted into a voice and is transmitted to a telephone, a notification of the incoming of an electronic mail is output to a pager of a mail receiver, and image information transmitted from a facsimile is transmitted in a form of a multimedia electronic mail.
A message switching in this message switching system develops from a message switching among information terminals and communication terminals which are formed of the same type and are operated at the same protocol to a message switching called a unified messaging for performing the message switching among various information terminals and communication terminals at various protocols.
In the circumstance of this unified messaging, a high function of an automatic transmission or notification is added to an old message function. Also, the number of messages to be processed in the message switching system (or the number of messages transmitted or received by a user) tends to rapidly increase.
In these circumstances of the heightening of the function and the increase of the number of messages, to select information useful for each user himself and to quickly read a message if required, in addition to the requirement of a high functional message processing tool such as a message selection function or a message notification function for the message switching system, it is important that a user can easily use the high functional message processing tool.
To achieve the simple use of the high functional message processing tool, for example, various software tools such as a software program xe2x80x9cMHxe2x80x9d, a software program xe2x80x9cMailagentxe2x80x9d and a software program xe2x80x9cElmxe2x80x9d have been developed to perform an intellectual processing of an electronic message in a UNIX type work station.
However, though functions of various high functional message processing tools are all different from each other, when a user desires to set one high functional message processing tool to be operated according to a user""s intention, the user is required to have a high-grade knowledge for the software tool. Therefore, it is difficult for many users having no knowledge about the programming and no knowledge of computers to use the high functional message processing tool. For example, in cases where the user uses the software program xe2x80x9cMailagentxe2x80x9d, it is required of the user to set a setting file of a sentence structure similar to a command xe2x80x9cawkxe2x80x9d of the UNIX, so that it is required of the user, for example, to have a knowledge relating to a regular expression of a character string and a knowledge of RFC822 denoting an agreement of an internet.
To achieve a purpose that a user not having a knowledge of computers so much can use any high functional message processing tool, a system designer assumes a user""s typical use method, and a message processing according to the use method is only provided for the user. Therefore, though the user can easily use any high functional message processing tool, the use of the high functional message processing tool is restricted to the message processing according to the use method, the use of the high functional message processing tool suitable for circumstances of each user is impossible.
An object of the present invention is to provide, with due consideration to the drawbacks of such a conventional message switching apparatus, a message switching apparatus in which a plurality of message processing procedures suitable for circumstances of each user are easily set and a user not having a knowledge of a computer so much uses any high functional message processing tool according to one message processing procedure suitable for circumstances of the user.
The object is achieved by the provision of a message switching apparatus, comprising:
message receiving means for receiving a particular message and a destination address of a receiver of the particular message from a sender operating a sender""s communication terminal or information terminal;
motive-procedure set storing means for storing a plurality of motive-procedure sets, each motive-procedure set being composed of a motive and a message processing procedure with condition, the motive being expressed by an event, the event determining a start of an operation of one message processing procedure with condition corresponding to the motive, the occurrence of the event being expressed by the firing of the motive, the message processing procedure with condition being composed of both a message processing procedure and a condition of the performance of the message processing procedure, the condition being expressed by a predicate logical equation, and the message processing procedure indicating a procedure of a processing performed for a message;
motive firing judging means for identifying the receiver according to the particular message received by the message receiving means, retrieving a plurality of specific motive-procedure sets corresponding to the receiver from the motive-procedure set storing means, identifying a plurality of specific motives corresponding to the specific motive-procedure sets, detecting the occurrence of a particular event expressing a particular motive among the specific motives, selecting a particular motive-procedure set corresponding to the particular motive from the plurality of specific motive-procedure sets, and judging the firing of the particular motive;
message processing procedure performing means for performing a particular message processing procedure with condition of the particular motive-procedure set in cases where it is judged by the motive firing judging means that the particular motive is fired and a particular condition of the particular message processing procedure with condition is satisfied; and
message transmitting means for receiving the particular message and the destination address of the receiver from the message receiving means, transmitting the particular message to a receiver""s communication terminal or information terminal indicated by the destination address of the receiver in cases where a particular message processing performed by the message processing procedure performing means indicates the transmission of the particular message to the receiver.
In the above configuration, a plurality of motive-procedure sets are stored in advance in the motive-procedure set storing means for each user representing a receiver or a sender. Each motive-procedure set is composed of a motive and a message processing procedure with condition, the motive is expressed by an event determining a start of an operation of one message processing procedure with condition corresponding to the motive. The occurrence of the event is called the firing of the motive. The message processing procedure with condition is composed of both a message processing procedure and a condition of the performance of the message processing procedure. The condition is expressed by a predicate logical equation, and the message processing procedure indicates a procedure of a processing performed for a message.
When one of the users desires to send a particular message as a sender to another user denoting a receiver, the sender prepares contents of the particular message and adds a destination address of the receiver to the particular message as transmission information, and the sender transmits the particular message to the message receiving means. In the message receiving means, a destination address of a receiver is analyzed, and the analyzed result is transmitted to the motive firing judging means to determine how the particular message is processed.
In the motive firing judging means, a plurality of specific motive-procedure sets corresponding to the receiver are retrieved from the motive-procedure set storing means, and a plurality of specific motives corresponding to the specific motive-procedure sets are identified. Thereafter, when a particular event expressing a particular motive included in the specific motives occurs, the firing of the particular motive is judged, and a particular motive-procedure set corresponding to the particular motive is selected from the specific motive-procedure sets and is transmitted to the message processing procedure performing means.
In the message processing procedure performing means, it is judged whether or not a particular condition corresponding to the particular motive-procedure set is satisfied. In cases where the particular condition is satisfied, a particular message processing procedure corresponding to the particular motive-procedure set is performed. In cases where a particular message processing of the particular message processing procedure indicates the transmission of the particular message to the receiver, the particular message is transmitted from the message transmitting means to a receiver""s communication terminal or information terminal indicated by the destination address of the receiver.
Accordingly, a plurality of message processing procedures suitable for circumstances of each user can be easily set in the motive-procedure set storing means, and a user not having a knowledge of a computer so much can use any high functional message processing tool according to one message processing procedure suitable for circumstances of the user.
It is preferred that the message switching apparatus further comprise:
motive table storing means for storing a plurality of motives;
condition table storing means for storing a plurality of conditions;
message processing procedure table storing means for storing a plurality of message processing procedures; and
motive-procedure set editing means for controlling an information terminal operated by a user to graphically display the motives stored in the motive table storing means on an image screen of the information terminal, instructing the user to select a desired motive from among the motives according to an intention of the user, controlling the information terminal to graphically display the conditions stored in the condition table storing means on the image screen of the information terminal, instructing the user to select a desired condition from among the conditions according to the intention of the user, controlling the information terminal to graphically display the message processing procedures stored in the message processing procedure table storing means on the image screen of the information terminal, instructing the user to select a desired message processing procedure from among the message processing procedures according to the intention of the user, editing a desired motive-procedure set by combining the desired motive, the desired condition and the desired message processing procedure selected by the user, storing the desired motive-procedure set corresponding to the user in the motive-procedure set storing means in cases where the user desires to process any message sent for the user according to the desired motive-procedure set, and deleting the desired motive-procedure set corresponding to the user from the motive-procedure set storing means in cases where the user desires to delete the desired motive-procedure set.
In the above configuration, the motives stored in the motive table storing means, the conditions stored in the condition table storing means and the message processing procedures stored in the message processing procedure table storing means are graphically displayed on an image screen of an information terminal operated by the user under the control of the motive-procedure set editing means, the user selects a desired motive, a desired condition and a desired message processing procedure, and a desired motive-procedure set is automatically edited according to the desired motive, the desired condition and the desired message processing procedure.
Thereafter, in cases where the user desires to process any message sent for the user according to the desired motive-procedure set, the desired motive-procedure set is stored in the motive-procedure set storing means. In contrast, in cases where the user desires to delete the desired motive-procedure set from the motive-procedure set storing means, the desired motive-procedure set is deleted from the motive-procedure set storing means.
Accordingly, even though a user does not have a knowledge of a computer or a knowledge of a message switching apparatus so much, any desired motive-procedure set possible to be prepared in the message switching apparatus can be automatically edited. Therefore, the user can automatically process any message sent for the user according to the desired motive-procedure set in cases where the user desires the processing of the message according to the desired motive-procedure set, and the user can cancel the processing of a message sent for the user according to the desired motive-procedure set in cases where the user desires not to process the message according to the desired motive-procedure set.
It is also preferred that the message switching apparatus further comprise:
voice recognizing means for recognizing a user""s voice and converting the user""s voice into a natural language character string; and
motive-procedure set editing means for giving a voiced guidance to a user operating a communication terminal or an information terminal, receiving a voiced instruction of the user produced in reply to the voiced guidance, transmitting the voiced instruction of the user to the voice recognizing means to obtain a particular natural language character string corresponding to the voiced instruction of the user from the voice recognizing means, editing a user""s motive-procedure set corresponding to the user according to the particular natural language character string, storing the user""s motive-procedure set corresponding to the user in the motive-procedure set storing means in cases where the editing of the user""s motive-procedure set denotes a new preparation, and deleting the user""s motive-procedure set corresponding to the user from the motive-procedure set storing means in cases where the editing of the user""s motive-procedure set denotes a deletion.
Accordingly, because the user can operates his communication terminal or information terminal by his voice in reply to the voiced guidance, even though the user does not have a knowledge of a computer or a knowledge of a message switching apparatus so much, any desired motive-procedure set possible to be prepared in the message switching apparatus can be automatically edited. Therefore, the user can automatically process any message sent for the user according to the desired motive-procedure set in cases where the user desires the processing of the message according to the desired motive-procedure set, and the user can cancel the processing of a message sent for the user according to the desired motive-procedure set in cases where the user desires not to process the message according to the desired motive-procedure set.
It is also preferred that the message switching apparatus further comprise:
message managing means for controlling an information terminal operated by a user to graphically display a plurality of messages sent for the user and a plurality of condition candidates for a desired condition on an image screen of the information terminal, receiving the desired condition selected by the user from the condition candidates, selecting a specific message from the messages according to the desired condition, controlling the information terminal to graphically display a plurality of procedure candidates for a desired message processing procedure on the image screen of the information terminal, processing the specific message according to the desired message processing procedure selected by the user from the procedure candidates, controlling the information terminal to graphically display a plurality of motive candidates for a desired motive on the image screen of the information terminal, preparing a desired motive-procedure set from the desired condition, the desired message processing procedure and the desired motive selected by the user, and storing the desired motive-procedure set in the motive-procedure set storing means.
In the above configuration, when the user selects a specific message from a plurality of messages sent for the user and process the specific message according to user""s intention, the messages are graphically displayed, a desired condition is selected by the user from a plurality of condition candidates graphically displayed, and a desired message processing procedure is selected by the user from a plurality of message processing procedure candidates graphically displayed. Thereafter, a desired motive is selected by the user from a plurality of motive candidates graphically displayed, and a desired motive-procedure set is prepared from the desired condition, the desired message processing procedure and the desired motive and is stored in the motive-procedure set storing means.
Accordingly, because a plurality of condition candidates graphically displayed, a plurality of message processing procedure candidates and a plurality of motive candidates are graphically displayed, even though the user does not have a knowledge of a computer or a knowledge of a message switching apparatus so much, the user can select and process the specific message, and the user can automatically process any message sent for the user by the desired motive-procedure set according to the user""s intention.
Also, because the desired condition and the desired message processing procedure are prepared when the specific message is selected and processed, the desired motive-procedure set can be efficiently prepared.
It is also preferred that the message switching apparatus further comprise:
message managing means for repeatedly performing a managing operation in which an information terminal operated by a user is controlled to graphically display a plurality of messages sent for the user and a plurality of condition candidates for a desired condition on an image screen of the information terminal, the desired condition selected by the user from the condition candidates is received, a specific message is selected from the messages according to the desired condition, the information terminal is controlled to graphically display a plurality of procedure candidates for a desired message processing procedure on the image screen of the information terminal, the specific message is processed according to the desired message processing procedure selected by the user from the procedure candidates and a desired message processing procedure with condition is prepared from the desired condition and the desired message processing procedure, controlling the information terminal to graphically display a plurality of motive candidates for a desired motive on the image screen of the information terminal in cases where the frequency of the managing operations performed to prepare the desired message processing procedure with condition exceeds a frequency threshold value, preparing a desired motive-procedure set from the desired condition, the desired message processing procedure and the desired motive selected by the user, and storing the desired motive-procedure set in the motive-procedure set storing means.
In the above configuration, a managing operation is performed to process a specific message selected from a plurality of messages and prepare a desired message processing procedure with condition, and the frequency of managing operations performed for the same desired message processing procedure with condition is counted. In cases where the frequency of the managing operations performed to prepare the desired message processing procedure with condition exceeds a frequency threshold value, the desired message processing procedure with condition strongly reflects a user""s intention for messages sent for the user. Therefore, a desired motive-procedure set is prepared from the desired message processing procedure with condition and a desired motive and is stored in the motive-procedure set storing means.
Accordingly, because the desired message processing procedure with condition strongly reflecting a user""s intention for messages sent for the user is specified and a desired motive-procedure set strongly reflecting the user""s intention is stored in the motive-procedure set storing means, any message sent for the user can be processed by the desired motive-procedure set according to the user""s strong intention.
Also, because a plurality of condition candidates graphically displayed, a plurality of message processing procedure candidates and a plurality of motive candidates are graphically displayed, even though the user does not have a knowledge of a computer or a knowledge of a message switching apparatus so much, the user can select and process the specific message.